Mail-marking machine.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

F. C. IELPIELD. MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn JULY z. moa.

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RIC. IBLFIELD.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE. A\PPLIGATI0N FILED JULY 2. 190B. l 949,275,Patented Feb.A 15, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PALTENT OFFICE.

FRED C. IELFIELD, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COLUMBIA POSTALSUPPLY COMPANY, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. InLFmLn, a citizen of the United States, andresiding at Silver Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-MarkingMachines, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail marking machine in which the printingor marking of the letter or cards is effected continuously and a mark isproduced 0n each piece of mail matter the full length thereof for thepurpose of insuring cancellation of all the stamps regardless of wherethey are placed on the mail mat-ter.

It is the object of this invention to produce a machine of thischaracter which is comparatively simple and durable in construction andreliable in operation, and which has a much greaterl capacity than themachines heretofore in use for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure l is afragmentary horizontal section of a mail marking machine embodying myinvention taken in line l--1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same taken in line 2-2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection taken in line 3-3, Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are verticaltransverse sections taken in the correspond ingly numbered lines in Fig.l. Fig. T is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken in line7-7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken in line 8-8, Fig. G.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

A represents the horizontal top plate of the machine the front part ofwhich forms the feed table B upon which is placed the stack of letterswhich is to be canceled while the rear part serves as a stacking table Cupon which the letters are stacked or piled after being canceled or postmarked. Arranged on to of the plate A and extending lengthwise rom thedelivery end of the feed table to the receiving end of the stackingtable is an upright guide wall or fence D. table is arranged atransverse guide wall (l which is separated at its inner edge from thelongitudinal wall by an intervening space or throat and on the frontpart of the stacking table is arranged a transverse guide Specificationof Letters Patent.

Application led July 2, 1908.

At the front side of the feed.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910. Serial No. 441,565.

wall Z1 which has its inner edge engaging with or arranged close to thelongitruflinal wall, as shown in Fig. l.

At the throat between the transverse wall (l and the longitudinal walll) is arranged a feed device whereby the letters are suceessively fedfrom the stack on the feed table to the printing or canceling mechanism.This feed mechanism is best shown in Figs. l, 2, 5 and 7 and isconstructed as follows: E, El represent two feed wheels arranged oneabove the other on the right side of the letter path and secured to theupper part of an upright feed shaft c which is jonrnaled in a bearing elon the adjacent part of the top plate. On the same side of the letterpath and in rear of the front pair of feed wheels is arranged a rearfeed wheel F which is also pivoted on the adjacent part of the top plateby a pin or shaft c2 and caused to turn in unison with the front feedwheels and in the same direction by a belt f passingl around a pulley f1secured to the feed shaft c between the front feed wheels and a pulleyconnected with the upper side of the rear feed wheel F. The latter ispreferably arranged close to the top of the feed table so as to engagethe right side of the letter near the lower edge thereof while the frontfeed wheels are arranged successively higher than the rear feed wheeland engage with the Sallie side of the letters at different distancesfrom the .lower edge thereof. The front and rear feed wheels arepreferably provided on their periphery with a facing g of rubber orsimilar material so as to enable the same to obtain a firm grip on theletters and feed them forwardly successively from the stack or pile onthe feed table. On the left side of the letter path and opposite thespace between the upper and lower front feed wheels is a separatingwheel H which operates in eonjunetion with the front feed wheels to feedthe letters forwardly but prevents more than one letter at a time frombeing fed from the supply stack to the printing mechanism. Thisseparating wheel is preferably con structed of emery or similar abrasivematerial so as to enable the same to obtain a firm grip on the left sideof the letter. The separating wheel is normally arranged with itsperiphery vertically in line with the periphery of the front feed wheel,so as to insure proper engagement of the same with the thinnest letteror card which it is intended to cancel in the machine, and it isyieldingly held in this position so that it may recede from the frontfeed wheels and permit letters or cards of greater thickness to passbetween the front feed wheels and the separating wheel without injuringthe letters or the feeding mechanism. The preferred means for thusyieldingly supporting the separating wheel consists of a horizontallyswinging rock arm 7L pivoted at its front end on a bracket 71,l abovethe top plate while its rear end has the separating wheel pivotedthereto7 a horizontal tension rod z' arranged transversely in front ofthe transverse wall d and pivotally connected at its right or inner endwith the free end of the rock arm 7L while its outer or left end passesthrough a lug l on the front side of the wall c7, a spring 2 surroundingthe tension rod and bearing at its opposite ends against the lug l and acollar 3 on the tension rod, and an adjusting nut 4 arranged on thethreaded left end of the tension rod and adapted to engage with theouter or left side of. the lug h1. By turning the screw 4 in onedirection or the other the position of the separating wheel relativelyto the front pair of feeding wheels may be adjusted and by adjusting thecollar 3 on the tension rod the resistance which the spring 2 offers tothe passage of the letters between the same and the front feed wheelsmay be regulated.

As the letters issue forwardly from the feeding mechanism they areoperated upon by the printing, marking or canceling mechanism which isbest shown in Figs. l, 2, 6 and 8, and which is constructed as follows:J represents an impression or abutment roller or wheel which is arrangedon the right side of the letter path in front of the feed wheels E Eland which is secured to the upper end of an upright shaft which isjournaled in a bearing jl on the adjacent part of the top plate. rlheupper part of this impression roller is provided on its periphery with aplurality of alternating annular or circumferential ribs and grooves 7c,701 while the lowermost end of its periphery is provided with an annularflange 702 which is knurled or roughened on its periphery, as shown inFig. 2. @n the left side of the Aletter path and transversely in linewith the impression roller is the printing wheel or roller which ismounted on the upper end of a printing shaft L which is journaled withits lower part in a bearing Z. This printing wheel preferably consistsof a lower clamping jaw or disk M which is secured to the printing shaftin any suitable manner but preferably by means of a driving fit, anupper clamping jaw or disk N which is preferablyconstructed in the formof a screw nut or cap and engages with the upper threaded end of theprinting shaft and a circular body composed of two sections 07 01arranged between the upper and lower clamping disks. The lower clampingdisk is provided with a knurled periphery, as shown in Fig. 7, and isarranged opposite the correspondingly knurled lower flange of theimpression roller, as shown in Fig. 6. The fixed or main section O ofthe body of the'printing wheel is mounted on the printing shaft and isprovided on its periphery with a plurality of annular or circumferentialruling ribs p which are adapted to produce canceling lines on theletters or mail matter while the detachable or auxiliary section 0l isarranged at. the side of the main section and is provided with type 291which are adapted to print the date, locality or other matter on theletters in alternation with the canceling lines. The main and auxiliarysections of the body are held in place on the printing shaft by means ofan annular or marginal flange g formed on the lower clamping disk andengaging with the exterior of the lower ends of the body sections and anannular or marginal flange g1 formed on the upper clamping disk andengaging with the exterior of the upper ends of the body sections, asshown in Fig. 6. The printing faces of the ruling ribs and the printingtype of the printing wheel are so arranged that each of these parts ishorizontally in line with one of the spaces or grooves in the impressionroller and the lower clamping disk is arranged Vwith its periphery closeto the knurled flange of the impression roller but does not engagetherewith, whereby actual contact between the printing wheel andimpression roller is avoided and no wear or injury to these parts occurswhen no letter is passing between the same. Normally the printing wheelis arranged so close to the impression roller that the thinnest letteror card which is designed to be canceled in this machine will be grippedon its opposite sides between the printing wheel and impression rollerand receive a continuous impression of successive canceling lines andtype matter on its left side while passing between the printing wheeland impression roller but when a letter or card of greater thickness isfed between these members the printing wheel is capable of yielding therequired extent to permit thicker letters or cards to pass between thesame and be canceled or post marked during their passage. The means forthus supporting the printing wheel to permit of adapting itself tovarying thicknesses of letters consists of a horizontally swinging rockarm R arranged below the top plate and pivoted at one end to theunderside of this plate while its opposite end carries the bearing Z inwhich the lower end of the printing shaft is ournaled,a spring rconnect-mg the rock arm R withthe underside of thetop plate andoperating t0 move its free end inwardly for carrying the printing wheeltoward the impression roller and an adjustable stop device whereby theforward movement of the printing wheel toward the impression roller maybe regulated and which preferably consists of a screw 1"] arranged onthe rock arm and engaging with a bearing 'lf" on the top plate, as shownin Fig. 3, or other suitable stationary part of the machine.

As the letter passes forwardly between the impression roller andprinting wheel its lower edge is gripped between the knurled lowerflange of the impression roller and the lower clamping disk of theseparts and carried positively forward while the `upper part of the letteris engaged on its opposite sides in Zig-Zag fashion by the relativelystaggered upper tlanges or ribs of the impression roller and the ribsand type of the printing wheel, the combined action of these partsoperating to reliably move the letters forwardly between the same.

As the printing wheel rotates the type and ruling ribs of the same aresupplied with ink by means of an inking roller S engaging with the sameat the left hand or outer side thereof. This ink roller is mounted on ahorizontally swinging arm s pivotcd on the upper side of the top plateand is yieldingly held in engagement with the printing wheel by means ofa spring 81 comiecting the rock arm .s with the top plate, as shown inFigs. l, 4 and 6.

t represents a catch pivoted on the top plate and adapted to engage witha pin t1 on the arm of the inking roller for the purpose of holding thelatter in its retracted position out of engagement from the printingwheel when it is desired to remove the latter from its shaft forchanging the type thereon or for other purposes.

As the letters issue forwardly from the printing mechanism they areengaged by a delivery mechanism which advances the same to the mechanismwhereby the letters are stacked side by side on the stacking table. Thisdelivery mechanism in its preferred form is shown in F l, 2 and Lt andis constructed as follows: U represents a non-adjustable delivery rollerarranged on the right hand side of the letter path in rear of theimpression roller and secured to the upper end of a delivery shaft awhich journaled in a bearing u1 on the adjacent part of the top plate.At the left hand side of the letter path transversely in line with theright hand delivery roller and coperating with the same, is anadjustable delivery roller V which is pivoted on the free end of ahorizontally swinging arm o mounted on the upper side of the top plate.The adjustable delivery roller is yicldingly held in engagement with thenon-adjustable delivery roller or with the letters passing between thesame by means of a spring v secured to an adjacent stationary part orwall (l2 on the top plate and engaging with the outer side of the roch'arm fe.

As each letter issues from between the delivery rollers the front end ofthe same engages with the transverse wall (l of the stacking table andis then moved laterally over the stacking table to clear space for thefollowing letter by means of a stacking device which preferably consistsof a plurality of cam-shaped wheels lV which rotate horizontally throughslots w in the longitudinal wall D and across the letter path in thesame direction in which the letters issue from the delivery wheels andwhich are secured one above the other on the upper end oit' a stackingshaft w1 which is journaled in a bearing wf on the adjacent part of thetop plate.

Any suitable driving mechanism may be employed for operating the variousrotatable parts of the machine which have been described. The means forthis purpose shown in the drawings consist of a belt-X passing aroundpulleys af, all, on the stacking shaft, the non-adjustable deliveryrollcr and the impression roller and also around idle pulleys y, a2pivoted on the underside of the top plate, an idle gear wheel 1/1connected with the idle pulley jz/ and meshing with a gear pinion y2 onthe lower end of the printing shaft, and an intermediate gear wheel zpivoted on the underside of the top late and meshing with the idle gearwheel y1 and a gear wheel .el at the lower end of the feed shaft c. Theteeth of the cooperating pinion g/2 and idle gear wheel y1 arepreferably of such length that this pinion is free to move laterally therequired extent together with the printing wheel without disturbing itsdriving connection with the gear wheel y/l. lPower may be applied tothis driving meehanism at any suitable point but preferably to thestacker shaft w1 which for this purpose may be regarded as the drivingshaft of this portion of the machine.

In the operation of this machine the letters move forwardly from thefeeding mechanism and past the printing and delivering mechanism to thestacking mechanism without interruption, thereby causing the printing tobe effected continuously, whereby the capacity of the machine isincreased over a machine in which the letters can only pass to theprinting mechanism at predetermined times.

I claim as my invention:

A mail marking machine comprising a feed mechanism and a printingmechanism to which the letters are delivered by said feed vimichanismand which comprises an impression roller arranged on one side of theletter path and having' its periphery provided with a plurality ofalternating annular ribs and grooves, and a printing wheel arranged onthe opposite side of the letter I path and having a Inain body sectionprosaid shaft and provided with a {ia-nge which vided withcircumferential ruling ribs and an auxiliary body section having type,said ruling ribs and type being arranged in line with the groovesbetween the ribs of the irnpi'ession roller, a shaft upon which saidinain body section is arranged, a lower clamping disk arranged on saidshaft and provided with a flange which engages with the exterior of saidbody sections at the lower ends thereof, and an upper Clamping disk orJaw having a screw connection with engages with the exterior of saidbody sections at the upper ends thereof.

l/Vitness my hand this 29th day; of J une,

FRED C. IELFIELD.

lVitneSses GEO. H. SHOFNER, H, lV. STEWART.

